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Idiom: a word or set of words that mean something different than the literal meaning of each word

I love idioms. Idioms are like the gold nuggets of a language. You won’t always find them in the dictionary (because often they’re more than one word) and it’s hard to find a complete list of all idioms of a language because there are so many.

They’re like a secret language that every fluent speaker knows but someone learning the language has to search for.

And once you find the idioms and add them to your vocabulary, bam! You’re automatically a better speaker!

These are some of my favorite idioms.

Piece of cake

Example: The math test today was a piece of cake.

Clarification: The math test was not made of cake.

Actual meaning: Something easy that doesn’t require any effort

Raining cats and dogs

Example: I’m so wet because it’s raining cats and dogs outside.

Clarification: There were not literally cats and dogs coming down from the sky.

Actual meaning: It is raining a lot and really hard.

Time flies

Example: Time flies when you’re having a good time.

Clarification: Time doesn’t fly with a cape behind it.

Actual meaning: It seems like the time is passing by a lot faster than it normally does.

In black and white

Example: The instructions are black and white.

Clarification: It does not mean literally black and white. There could be color on the page.

Actual meaning: Very clear or obvious. The instructions are very clear and easy to understand.

Couch potato

Example: I just want to be a couch potato today and watch Netflix all day.

Clarification: I didn’t turn into a potato sitting on the couch.

Actual meaning: Someone that is being super lazy for the moment and sits on the couch for long amounts of time.

Cost an arm and a leg

Example: My computer cost me an arm and a leg.

Clarification: I did not sell my arm nor my leg.

Actual meaning: The computer was incredibly expensive.

Have a blast

Example: Have a blast at the dance tonight!

Clarification: The dance did not have an explosion that blasted.

Actual meaning: Have a really great time at the dance or have lots of fun!

Copycat

Example: Don’t be a copycat! That dance move is mine.

Clarification: I am not telling you to be a cat.

Actual meaning: Don’t copy everything that I do.

Out of the blue

Example: My mom called me out of the blue yesterday.

Clarification: It wasn’t a blue day yesterday.

Actual meaning: It was random that my mom called yesterday, or happened for no reason.

Better late than never

Example: Better late than never that you showed up tonight.

Clarification: I wasn’t happy that you showed up late tonight.

Actual meaning: It didn’t matter that you were late. It’s better that you showed up at all.